On Thursday, Governor Doug Ducey announced a plan to give teachers across the board a permanent 9 percent pay increase this year, with a 20 percent total increase by 2020.
“Education is our top priority in Arizona,” said Ducey. “Our teachers are the biggest difference-makers in the lives of Arizona’s children. They deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.”
House Democratic Leader Rebecca Rios called the governor’s plan “simply a shell game that robs Peter to pay Paul. Shifting money away from vital educational needs like a school buses, classroom materials, utilities, utilities and building repairs to pay for teacher salaries is not a reasonable solution to this crisis.”
Earlier in the day, Speaker of the House J.D. Mesnard announced his proposal to increase teacher pay. The governor rolled over Mesnard and rolled out his own plan, leaving legislators in disbelief.
Video of Governors Press Conference